Cloud Nine
by raffiflaaffy
Summary: The RFA members say that MC was trapped, but how could anyone claim to be trapped when she said so herself that she was in heaven? Retells the events of MC visiting Jumin in his pent-house. Set between days 7-11 in Jumin's route. SPOILER ALERT! JuminxMC.
1. Chapter 1: Formalities

_**Chapter One:**_ **Formalities**

MC could hardly believe what was about to happen. She was on her way to meet Jumin… _Jumin. Han_. Her head was reeling at the thought of finally being able to see such an eloquent and attractive man in person - and definitely much sooner than expected.

She hailed a cab just a couple of blocks away from Rika's apartment, and got to the C&R International building in good time, where she then found her way in to find Jaehee. After being explained of what was entailed and then thanking her a million times, MC made a mad dash for the elevator before exiting the company's property. From there, she met Driver Kim, as requested by the Chief Secretary. He was often talked a lot about by Jumin in their phone calls and in the messenger, so she made sure that he was very much known for his excellent driving skills. He kindly opened the door for her as she slowly stepped into the limousine. She definitely had to get used to being in one of these…

The ride was smooth and quiet; however, it was when she saw Yoosung log in to the chat that she leaned away from her reclined position. MC reassured him constantly that she was safely on her way to Jumin's pent-house. However, it was when the blonde-haired student explained a cringe-worthy article that he apparently saw at the university today when the concern grew in her eyes. Glam Choi was apparently spreading the news through an obviously botched article that talked about Sarah and Jumin getting married. Tabloids… She wondered how often he's dealt with them in his lifetime. MC shook her head at the thought, genuinely worried for his well-being.

She busied herself with emails involving party guests for the rest of the trip as she took in the silence, broken only by the sound of motion and the usual hustle-and-bustle of the passing vehicles gliding down the evening road.

After reaching their destination, MC showed her appreciation to Driver Kim, who helped her out of the car and made sure she got inside the building before driving away. She took herself and her belongings up the elevator, checking her phone constantly to make sure she was headed the right way. It was when she saw the multitude of body guards on the floor that MC realized she was in the right place. She came up to one of them and told them about who she was and who sent her. The chief of security kindly told her that he would notify Jumin of her arrival as he knocked on the door.

There was no sound, however, the door was quick to open, as the figure of a tall, black-haired man in a suit craned his head out to see who was outside.

"Sir, Chief Assistant Kang apparently sent someone. It's someone related to the RFA. Her name is MC." The body guard explained to him.

"MC…?" Jumin breathed, the thought of an unexpected visitor taking him by surprise.

"Should I let her in?"

"Oh… Yes."

"Yes, sir."

The burly, uniformed man nodded once at MC, both of his hands showing her to the door as he closed it behind her.

"I didn't know that Assistant Kang would send you. God…" Jumin's expression said it all, his eyes widened with shock. "Sorry. I just… stared into your eyes."

"Jumin… I'm so glad to finally meet you." The brunette brushed her bangs to the side, extending a hand to give him a handshake. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, praying to God that he couldn't tell that how nervous she was.

His arms stayed crossed, not out of disregard but because of his astonishment. "I never expected you to come to my house. I feel a bit nervous… to actually see you like this. I thought that I would be able to meet you at the party. Wasn't it dangerous on your way here? We still haven't caught the hacker…"

MC twiddled with her thumbs as his concern grew in his deep, gray eyes. Her anxiety levels were up the roof, worried that he didn't like her. She tugged lightly onto the strap of the small duffel bag that she carried on her shoulder. "Jaehee made sure that I traveled safe."

"Really? Well I'm glad." A soft smile formed gently on the side of his lips, his gaze still focused on the lady in front of him. "Oh… S-Sorry… I can't help but keep staring at you. I still can't quite believe it. I would've picked you up, had I known you had planned to make a visit. That would've been much safer."

"Anyway…" He said after a long pause, not wishing to belabor the moment. "What did you come here for? Is there something I can do for you? Anything you need?"

"Jaehee said you seemed to be having a hard time and that I should visit you. I came because I got worried." MC nodded lightly, seeming to be extra careful with her words in front of the corporate heir.

"So she asked that of you. I didn't realize she was going to make such an outrageous request with the hacker still at large. But I'm quite happy that you're worried for me. Regardless, I'm glad to see that you got here safely. Welcome to my home, MC."

"Umm… c-can I go change?"

A quiet chuckle rumbled in his chest as he eyed her hesitation. Jumin was quick to realize that not a lot of people have actually gone to visit to his place before. "Of course you may. There's a dressing room down the hall, but I don't have any women's clothes. Should I have someone buy you some?"

The latter took MC by surprise. She had completely forgotten his capability to do something like that. Sheepishly, she shook her head in the politest way possible. "That's quite alright. I brought my pajamas. But thank you for the thought, Jumin."

He nodded, acknowledging her manners. "Ah, I see you came prepared."

" _Meow_ ~!" A sweet sound came as a white feline followed from behind a rather large steel cage off to the side.

"Oh! Late introductions. This is my darling, Elizabeth the 3rd." Jumin's eyes lit up as he made her presence known.

MC walked over to her, reaching a hand out that she ended up nuzzling her head against. "Why did you put her in a cage…?"

"I had no choice _but_ to. I'll explain later." He gingerly adjusted the end of his sleeve, clearing his throat. "Oh, come to think of it. Have you had dinner yet? Please, MC, feel at home. I can order anything you want. Actually, if it's alright with you, I would like it if you stayed here for the night. Just tell me what you want, and I can provide you with anything."

It would be a lie if MC said that she wasn't absolutely overwhelmed by his obviously luxurious lifestyle. He spoke about it often in the messenger, but to see and hear for herself what he is able to do without a change in expression - let alone, a second thought. She got lost in thought of the idea that she may have to keep her reservations to herself in order to not look fazed in front of him. She had to get out of her trance quick, however, before he noticed that she was clearly distracted.

Jumin angled himself slightly, a hand on his hip as his gaze met the floor. "I never expected you to come, but now that you're here, I'd hate for you to leave."

MC gasped inaudibly, a hand to her mouth as she fidgeted with the strap of her bag that was still on her. "Oh, r-right. I'm gonna… I'm gonna change into these clothes."

"Go ahead and settle in. Start thinking about what you want to eat, though. I'm sure you're hungry." He sat on one of his couches, a leg crossed as he gave her an expectant look. "I won't order anything until you return."

MC smiled back at him as she slowly made her way down the hall. As he eyed her movement, he couldn't help but feel his heart skip.


	2. Chapter 2: Another Side (Of Me)

_**Chapter Two:**_ **Another Side (Of Me)**

After MC stepped out of the bathroom in her newly changed clothes, she meekly walked out with her bag in tow. Upon re-entering the living room area to join Jumin, she quietly set it down and she had to stop herself from running into anything after their eyes met.

"I do apologize, by the way. I said that I was going to wait for you before I called the chef, however, I realize that I'd forgotten to eat lunch." Jumin said to her as she walked closer to him. "I hope you like Lobster Thermidor."

"Anything is fine." MC softly complied, even though, truthfully, she had absolutely no idea what exactly that was. She had to constantly remind herself that this was Jumin Han that she was about to have dinner with, and she was expecting it to be nothing short of extraordinary — that was for sure.

"What material is that, by the way?" He caught himself eying her colorful, distinctly patterned pajamas. "I don't think I've seen that kind of look in our clothing line."

The brunette was slightly taken aback, having secretly hoped that he wouldn't make a comment. All she could hope was that he did not have a clear distaste for them, for these were honestly one of her best sets. "Cotton...? I think?"

"Personally, I cannot sleep if I am not dressed in all-matching satin, myself." Jumin continued to observe her attire, not because he was displeased but rather from feeling intrigued more than anything.

"I mean, in my opinion, who cares about style, when comfort is the obvious winner in this situation?" MC shrugged casually, not trying to look terribly insecure of herself in front of him regarding his remarks. She was already turning to make her way back to the bathroom. "I do apologize, though. I didn't realize that we were going to have such a fancy dinner. Had I known I… wouldn't have changed so soon. I don't mean to respect you, sir... Mr. H—... I mean... Jumin... I…"

He immediately grabbed ahold of her wrist to stop her, to which it took her by surprise. "Please, MC. Don't worry so much, and anyway, I told you to feel at home. Actually, if it makes you feel better, I'll even change into mine."

MC's eyes lit up, amazed at how polite and willing he was to adjust even the smallest things to make her more comfortable. As she watched him turn his heel to swiftly walk to his bedroom, she was still in disbelief on whether she was in a dream or if this was reality.

When he came back, she felt like she had to hold herself back from letting her jaw hit the floor as she reveled in his perfect figure hugging the jet black fabric of the satin pajamas that he said he wore. She looked down for a moment and sighed, feeling rather ordinary in comparison.

"Is there something wrong?" Jumin asked as he knelt down to her in order to better read her expression, worry quickly spreading his face.

"Be honest, Jumin..." She hung her head low, playing with her fingers before proceeding to point at herself. "Do you think that what I'm wearing looks... tacky?"

"Are you joking?" His expression practically aghast. "Was that all? MC, come on, you look good in anything. If you're talking about your pajamas, though, then I'd say they're absolutely adorable."

"You're kidding..." MC laughed, a dismissing hand waving across her face displayed her insecurity and denial of the truth behind his response. "I bought these for fifteen bucks at the Mall-mart just a week ago. They're hardly compared to anything _you_ own, I'm sure."

Jumin shook his head, a small smirk peeking through the side of face as he winked at her. "Stop that. You know better that money doesn't buy good looks — or happiness, for that matter. In fact, I'm actually looking forward to having dinner in our pajamas."

"You mean it, Jumin?" MC gasped happily, watching him nod in response with crossed arms. "I'm sorry if I don't have much to offer, but I still hope we can have a good night together?"

"Don't be ridiculous." He couldn't believe how hard she was being on herself, his smoldering, gray eyes softening as he stared deeply into her own. "How silly of you to say that. Just having you here with me is enough to make the rest of my night that much better. Come. Dinner will be ready soon."

After some time, MC watched curiously as she watched his chef promptly prepare dinner and set the table for them both. She could hardly believe his keen, swift hands as he worked. She and Jumin eventually joined each other as they sat opposite of each other once he was done, with only freshly made food, an unopened bottle of white wine, and a handful of newly lit tea candles between them both.

"Really... This is too much, Jumin." MC's eyes widened to the size of saucers, unsure of how to react at the spectacular presentation. "A-Are you sure about this?"

"Are you forgetting who I am?" smirked Jumin as they managed to meet each other's gaze again within the dim lighting.

"I didn't question your capability. I was referring to my own self-worth." She clarified, smiling sheepishly back at him.

And this response certainly took him by surprise, for sure. His elbows touched the table as he twined his fingers together. He seemed to be focusing his full attention on her now.

"MC… How do you do it?"

"Do… what?" She raised her eyebrows in confusion.

Jumin felt a strange, fluttering sensation in his chest. He had to catch his breath as he caught a glimpse of her nose wriggling slightly. After a moment, he sighed, shaking his head as his soft smile peeked out once more. "Never mind, let's eat."

MC was practically culture-shocked as she stared at her plate. This was the fanciest dinner that she'd ever had in her entire life, and meanwhile this had probably been a typical evening for Jumin.

Jumin popped the bottle of wine open as he served them both, talking extensively about each other's taste in liquor as they gradually helped themselves to their meal. After some time with small conversations in between, they finished up in silence. Once MC cleared her plate, she got up from her seat, blew out the candles, then began gathering the dishes and silverware together.

"What are you doing?" The young man asked with widened eyes, also getting up from his post.

"The _dishes_ …?" MC said matter-of-factly as she promptly walked over to the kitchen sink.

"Leave them. I'll have my maid take care of it in the morning."

"You already got dinner, so I should clean. It seems like a pretty fair deal to me."

"Don't, please. You're my guest." He insisted, taking the dishes from her hands in one fell swoop.

"Which is exactly…" She took it back from him just as quickly. "… _why_ I have to do them."

"MC… Don't do this."

"But Jumin, I _want_ to."

The two of them continued this playful tease for a while, going back and forth between who was going to get the other to cave in first. When he saw MC hold the plates above her head with both of her hands, Jumin went for the opportunity to attempt at grabbing them from behind her, but she drew back quickly out of surprise and it caused her to fall backwards onto him.

MC gasped, feeling the force of her own body come in contact with Jumin's. He, too, was certainly surprised, for he stood frozen in his tracks. She could feel her heart thumping against her chest, unsure of what to do next. She lowered her head as she put the plates down on the counter to break the silence, feeling Jumin's arms retreat back to him right after she did so.

Jumin had opened his mouth to say something, but his thought was quickly withdrawn as he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. "I… have to take this call. I'll be right back."

Heaving a sigh of relief, MC watched as he turned his heel and walked down the hall to another room to attend to this private manner. She decided to leave the dishes be for now, walking over to the couch and taking a seat. Crossing her legs, she pulled out her own cell phone, logging into the RFA app and checking to see if anybody was on the messenger for the meantime.

To her surprise, MC saw that Seven and Jaehee were online, and she opened up a new chatroom. She explained to them both that she made it to Jumin's place safely and that she was being treated well.

 **707:** But MC, isn't it really late?

 **Jaehee Kang:** I thought that too… It's my fault.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Things were so hectic that I didn't even check the time.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I should have asked you to go tomorrow morning.

" _It's okay. I'm glad I got to see him sooner._ " MC smiled as she glanced over at the room that Jumin headed off to after typing this out to them. She took a moment to detach herself from her revelry and fixated her focus back onto the messenger app on her phone.

 **707:** MC,

 **707:** do you plan to stay the night there?

 **Jaehee Kang:** …No way. ^^;

MC decided to stay quiet about her plans to sleep over, secretly excited to be at a place aside from Rika's apartment but, more importantly, also to be in Jumin's residence, with him. Her mood deflated significantly as there were then talks about Glam Choi and the tabloids that spread like wildfire all over television shows and social media sites everywhere. She expressed empathy at the stress that he must've been undergoing, wishing that there was more that she could do for him.

Seven then went on to explain to the two women about how if even more shocking news ended up replacing the currently trending story, it would be possible that it could steal the lime-light away from Glam and Sarah.

 **707:** After a night filled with roses,

 **707:** MC is seen leaving Jumin Han's house, with her hair still wet.

 **707:** As soon as she gets off the elevator to go home,

 **707:** the paparazzi takes a photo! The first page on next morning's news

 **707:** Jumin Han's new woman, MC!

 **707:** Instantly buries the story about Sarah!

MC blushed simply at the thought, seeing herself with him in this beautiful visual image that suddenly blossomed in her mind. It was almost as if he were a perfect fit for her, and her fantasies of sweet-nothings and marriage dissipated as quick as it came.

" _That can't be good for Jumin's reputation…_ " She sighed a little sadly as she said this instead of how her original feelings told her to respond. She felt at peace, however, feeling like there was possibly some kind of hope for them, but not quite right now while things were hectic.

Her eyes rolled as Seven continued to crack his usual set of jokes, noting Jaehee's apparent irritation throughout their conversation. MC later expressed her concerns of Yoosung getting to Seven's place safely, as the red-headed hacker began to explain his busy-work spent apparently wrapping boxes full of Honey Buddha chips for his friend — among other nonsensible topics.

When he swiftly left the chat without much warning shortly after, MC stayed and talked to Jaehee about her hopes that Jumin returning to work the next day. After she reassured her that she would try her best, she bid her good night.

MC heard the muffled sound of Jumin still talking to the person on the other line, though not clearly enough to decipher the conversation he was having. She didn't want to bother him, but also didn't want to touch things without his consent. After some time, she settled with comfortably staring out at the night sky from the glass doors leading to his patio, taking in the view as she let her thoughts quietly settle in her mind.

Suddenly, she felt her phone in her pocket go off again, pulling it quickly thinking she was getting a call. However, it was just a notification of Zen starting up yet another chatroom. She decided to enter it, in hopes that she could convince him further with reassurance of her safety and get him to stop bugging her so much about her being at a man's house.

Zen blatantly expressed his concern of MC being at Jumin's pent-house from the get-go, however, to which she already expected. She snickered at this, knowing full well she was going to have to repeat herself plenty of times again that night. After some time, it appeared that Jumin, himself, went in to the chatroom on his own smartphone, which let MC know that he had just finished up with his call. It wasn't long before they began bickering continuously, just as they always did whenever they were in the same chatroom. He continually lectured Jumin about treating MC like a lady and to not come onto her before she were to leave the next day.

 **ZEN:** If you have a conscience at all, at least send a photo.

 **Jumin Han:** A photo?

 **ZEN:** Yeah! A photo of you two together!

 **ZEN:** I have to check with my own eyes that MC's safe

 **Jumin Han:** No.

 **ZEN:** What…

 **Jumin Han:** I don't want anyone else to look at her.

" _lololol Jumin, you're cute._ " MC's face turned cherry red as her grin widened in tow. If her hands weren't holding her phone, she would probably be hiding her face in them.

 **Jumin Han:** I'd like to sincerely thank her for taking the risk to visit me

 **Jumin Han:** Is there anything she wants?

She heard footsteps, and before she could even blink, Jumin came from behind her and took a seat next to her on the couch. He looked over at her expectantly, to which she gasped lightly in turn.

 **ZEN:** Are you ignoring me?

MC dropped her phone despite it blowing up with notifications of Zen spamming the chatroom, burying her head into her now free hands as she tried hard to hide herself away from Jumin. She couldn't let him see that she was clearly falling for him.

She still looked up at him eagerly, however, and their eyes remained fixated on one another. He rested an arm on the back of the sofa, scooting himself closer to her as he began typing again but with only a single hand.

 **Jumin Han:** I'll make strawberry pancakes for you tomorrow. What kind of tea do you like for breakfast?

 **MC:** You don't have to… I can cook.

 **Jumin Han:** No, you're a guest. I can't make you work.

 **Jumin Han:** I'll prepare everything that you need. Just stay by my side.

" _I don't know why, but I instantly felt better._ " Jumin says this aloud as he also proceeds to type the same response on the messenger after some time, explaining to her that she helped him significantly.

MC giggled after he said this, backing away a bit as the two continued squabbling about matters again, that especially of topics involving Elizabeth the 3rd. Jumin regrettably wished that he continued to ignore Zen instead of speaking to him again. Somewhere in between, she made attempts to convince Jumin to go back to work, to which he spoke to her directly outside of the messenger as something that they would discuss for later. She backed him up against Zen calling him out as the "Trust Fund Kid" born with a golden spoon shirking his responsibilities like a negligent coward. This was getting old.

The brunette slowly reclined farther and farther back as the conversation continued. Her feet began to dangle from the sofa, as she made a huge yawn. Her arms proceeded to outstretch above her head before she took her hands to her eyes to rub them.

 **Jumin Han:** Oh.

 **Jumin Han:** MC seems quite sleepy.

 **Jumin Han:** I should put her to bed.

" _P-Put… me to bed…?_ " Her mouth agape as she glanced over at him once more, feeling sure yet unsure of what exactly he meant. He looked her straight in the eye as he worked on putting up his reply to the messenger.

 **Jumin Han:** Of course.

 **Jumin Han:** I can't let you sleep alone.

 **Jumin Han:** I'm going to go to the kitchen. I have some things to organize. Wait a sec.

 **[Jumin Han has left the chatroom.]**

MC watched as he rose to his height and placed his phone on the table, turning only to have a quick glance at her as he walked off to the opposite direction. She practically forgot that there was another member in the chat, although she couldn't help herself from rereading the last few messages that Jumin sent for the members to see. Did she really deserve to be treated like this?

 **ZEN:** MC, are you really okay?

 **ZEN:** Still… you're alone with a guy…

 **MC:** I trust Jumin.

And she says this with absolutely certainty, a wave of relief flowing through her. Still, Zen continues on with his repeated "big brother" lecture before eventually expressing his need to take a shower after a long day, and bid a good-intentioned farewell before taking his leave.

MC then followed Jumin over to the kitchen, who stared out deeply in thought as he rubbed a finger underneath his jawline. Her pace slowed, hoping to not be interrupting anything. However, she stopped where she was when he turned around to face her.

"Jumin, what are you thinking about?" MC tilts her head to the side in attempts to take a better look at his forlorn expression.

"Oh, it's nothing…" He dismissed whatever thought in his mind rather quickly, his eyes directly at the brunette. "Just… old memories. Aren't you sleepy? If you are, you can sleep on the bed. I'll turn off the lights."

"Where will _you_ sleep?" MC asked, concerned. She definitely noted the sudden change in topic.

"It's fine. I don't think I'll sleep." He squeezed his fingertips along the bridge of his nose. "I have some things to think about. But nothing for you to worry about. Just rest up on my bed."

She obediently followed this as she gently climbed onto his bed, for she had had a long day, as well. The thread count on his sheets must have been through-the-roof ridiculous and his pillows must have been touched by an angel — or something along those lines — because she had never felt something so comfortably luxurious before in her life. Her eyes watched as the young man began dimming the lights in the room.

"If you feel uncomfortable at the change of scenery… do you mind if I read for you?" She caught his eyes as it sparkled from the city lights that found its way in through the patio's glass sliding doors.

"Please do. I'll feel more comfortable if I hear your voice." MC admitted, hoping silently that the lighting was dark enough for him to not notice the hint of pink in her cheeks.

Jumin took his place at the edge of the bed on the same side that she laid on, a book in his hand. He had a firm hold on the burgundy leather binding, flipping to a specific page as if he memorized the entire story like the back of his hand. "I'm glad that you want to hear it…"

Her breath slowed as she saw him scooting rather close to her, the wide smile on her face especially harder to hide now. But his own face seemed to soften as he returned the same look back at her. She caught him letting out a light chuckle as he began to read.

Jumin's voice was softer than his usual tone. He earnestly explained to her about how the book was from a special "friend" – Rika, to be exact. He talked about how he put off finishing the story when she asked him what exactly it was about, because he didn't want to end it knowing its sentimentality. From there, he continued to recite more lines from the book. MC tuned in intently as she let his sweet voice find its way into her mind — her heart. She found it soothing the way he gently, yet eloquently, he spoke. It was like music to her ears.

"I feel as curious about you as I was with her." He turned his eyes away from the pages as he found himself bringing Rika back up again. "It's amazing to feel the way that I do right now. I'd love to know more about you."

"M-Me?" She pointed at herself, shocked at the quick transition he made.

"Yes, you." Jumin grinned, clearly amused. "I didn't realize when we were just talking on the messenger. But now that you're right beside me, I really want to know you, MC."

He continued to open up in a way that she didn't expect. They hadn't known each other long, but in the few days since she joined the RFA, she knew for a fact what she was getting into. The rest of the gang warned her about pursuing a relationship with Jumin, and that the ice in his cold heart could not be melted. MC was uncertain on whether or not she had actually gotten him to his point quite yet, but she knew that she was willing to keep on trying — for him, maybe even for _them_ , if he allowed it.

"You made me turn all my focus on you… Thanks to that, I'll be able to stop thinking about all those troubles. MC, thank you so much for coming. I feel so good that you're here." He brought his face tantalizingly close to her, his voice lowering to a near-whisper now. "I… never want to let you go. One day, once I finish reading this book to you, feel as if all my threads will untangle."

While trying really hard to decipher what exactly that meant, he stopped her thoughts abruptly as he pulled away, gently placing the covers over her body and closing the blinds to his patio door. "It's getting late, though. I apologize for keeping you up this long. Sleep well, MC."

"Get some kind of sleep too, Jumin." She told him worriedly, watching him walk off.

MC sighed happily as she let the waves of sleep lull her into a sweet slumber, hoping for Jumin to appear in her dreams…


	3. Chapter 3: Promises

_**Chapter Three:**_ Promises

MC's eyes fluttered open slowly as she felt a vibrating underneath her pillow. It must not have been long since she first fell asleep because the RFA chat started to blow up in notifications. The dark room contrasted greatly from the brightness of her phone, and she soon found herself squinting as she unlocked her phone. She took a quick look around the area, hoping that Jumin wouldn't scold her for being awake at this hour. But when it seemed that the area was empty, she touched the RFA app on her phone and decided to see what was going on.

When she logged in, Yoosung immediately started gushing to her about how he played his LOLOL game that he always talked about but this time with incredibly smooth graphics and an immensely fast Internet connection. This indicated that he had probably gotten to Seven's house safely.

 **Yoosung** **:** MC, are you okay?

 **Yoosung** **:** Isn't it super uncomfortable sleeping at Jumin's house?

 **Yoosung** **:** Zen seems worried…

" _Zen has nothing to worry about~ I feel like I'm in heaven._ " MC reassured him. She was worried that, now, yet another person was going to be overly concerned for her own well-being. After all, she was fine. She was practically enjoying herself here, over anything.

Yoosung later told the brunette that Seven apparently hadn't moved from the computer all night since he got there and how his eyes were glazed over, as if in a trance. They exchanged small conversations back and forth, mostly bouncing back to the same rush of ardor he felt whenever he played a match. If Yoosung never got a girlfriend, it's very possible that he could marry that God forsaken game. He stuck around until he was suddenly asked to get off for a reason left unexplained. She barely squeezed in her farewell as he exited the chatroom when in his place immediately came another member.

 **[Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.]**

 **MC:** Hello, Jaehee

 **Jaehee Kang:** Hello, MC

 **Jaehee Kang:** You're still awake

 **Jaehee Kang:** I also heard that you're staying at Mr. Han's penthouse,

 **Jaehee Kang:** but are you sure that you don't want to go home?

 **MC:** Don't worry, Jaehee. I'll go home once the sun rises.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes, it will be dangerous to return home so late

 **Jaehee Kang:** I do understand Mr. Han's concern but if you still feel uncomfortable, you can be honest with me

MC reiterated, once more, that everything was fine and that there was no need to worry about her when she was perfectly safe. She tried to switch the topic over and asked Jaehee what she was also doing up so late, to which she replied saying that she was using her downtime to do more research on Sarah. The Chief Secretary went on to explain to her about how she asked around amongst both her colleagues and other business partners about her company "Sugar Round." It was apparent that hardly anybody she knew could say anything about it. As for the few who did, however, they expressed their little knowledge about a place that had only been open for a few years. Some even went as far as saying that the it was a surprise that the business itself was still open.

Jaehee also shared that further digging allowed her to discover that Sarah is seen to own many expensive items, as shown in a lot of pictures taken by paparazzi and the like. Later, she goes on to say that there apparently was an "embarrassing situation" a few years back in which all of her credit cards were declined at a shopping mall that she was seen frequenting. It was established in her thoughts that she may make an attempt to check on her credit report, if time allows.

" _That's a smart way to go about it. I appreciate what you're doing."_ MC expressed her thanks for going beyond her means to help Jumin in matters aside from work as well

After some time having a girl-to-girl moment with one another, it was shown that yet a new person joined them in the RFA chat. It was Zen — and it looked like his overprotective mode was still kicked into high gear.

 **ZEN:** Aren't you really uncomfortable right now? Be honest

 **ZEN:** He's not comparing you to his cat, is he?

 **ZEN:** It's okay, you can tell me.

" _Zen~ Don't worry. He's been incredibly nice."_ MC was close to adding in the reasons from tonight's occurrences in particular to explain how and why to further back him up on her comment, but she didn't want to come off as a girl who wanted him for his luxury and privilege. After all, the only thing she wanted was him.

Although apparently it was made clear that he was different to her, according to Zen and Jaehee, but in a good way, it seemed. They collectively went back and forth talking about how Jumin "usually was" or how he seemed to look happier when he talked to her. It was odd for MC, because she never really picked up on it or thought about it that way — possibly due to her own feelings.

Zen repeatedly criticized Jumin for hiding away from his problems and work by leaving them all to Jaehee. MC could sense their frustrations. After all, Zen, himself, is overly protective out of his own nature, while Jaehee couldn't even hide how stressed she was anymore. She felt that while she did agree that Jumin should go back to work, her heart told her that the workaholic he is doesn't want to do this necessarily on purpose. His internal struggles, alone, are a big enough issue. Undeniably, she sympathized with him on how hard it's been on him lately — and she made it clear that she would continue to defend him on that.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Besides,

 **Jaehee Kang:** I'm sure that Mr. Han is much more interested in

 **Jaehee Kang:** protecting Elizabeth the 3rd

 **Jaehee Kang:** or you, MC, now that you two have actually met

MC thought to herself how absurdly the latter sounded. Jumin? Interested? In her? _Fat chance._ Although it also seemed like Jumin Han wasn't exactly the kind of person to just go out of his means for _just anybody_. Possibly. She made the decision to keep quiet rather than boast on that note. Sure, Jumin _was_ incredibly polite to her, but she wanted to lay low on her feelings a bit more until she was sure.

" _It must be so difficult to him to have his father involved."_ She sighed aloud as she typed this in response to them, a clear look of worry spread across her face as the conversation went on about the current situation.

Zen also pointed out that "Mr. Trust Fund Kid" — as he called him — must apparently be pretty lucky to have someone who is always thinking about him even when he wasn't around, to which she rebutted with her own concern to get him to stop thinking that way. She did, however, agree that Mr. Chairman was clearly making the wrong decision in this fixed marriage he was planning, as per Jaehee's considered thoughts.

MC reiterated to the two that she was okay with staying until the morning — for she was tired, anyway — and she expressed that Jumin's priority was her safety, anyhow. Secretly, she was enjoying this anyway, and since he seemed so inviting, why did she really need to leave so soon?

 **ZEN:** You are too caring, MC… T_T

 **ZEN:** He'll be fine without you

 **Jaehee Kang:** I don't know if he will be fine…

 **Jaehee Kang:** but I am concerned for your safety, MC

 **Jaehee Kang:** Both you and Mr. Han are adults,

 **Jaehee Kang:** So I trust that you two make the right decision

Jaehee prayed to God continuously that Jumin would finally make an appearance at the office in the morning. She even went as far as hoping that sending MC over to his penthouse wasn't a mistake. _What is it about Jumin that concerned them all this much?_ MC wondered. She said she would continue to watch for herself, but that there was really nothing to be concerned of.

" _Don't worry too much, guys. Jumin just needs time."_ She affirmed this, sticking to her guns.

MC sighed in relief as the focus of the conversation finally shifted some time after. Zen proceeded to change the topic to brag about his new role, while Jaehee reeled in excitement. As one of his biggest fans, he seemed happy to talk more about himself to someone that he knew was always excited to hear news about him. It also appeared that this was a great stress-reliever for her as well, so naturally, it was a mutually nice feeling.

The brunette reassured them both that Jumin will come to his senses and even extended further thanks Jaehee for all of her hard work, because she knew she didn't need validation but that she was still a human being. After some time, the thee of them came to the realization that it was growing later and later, as goodbyes were made and, one by one, they signed off of the messenger for the evening.

MC felt her drowsiness disappear as she stared ahead at her smartphone, checking her usual apps and even playing a few games afterwards. She had lost all sense of time until she heard a rustling noise from the couch, a head of jet black hair peeking from the other side of the room. So _that's_ where Jumin went to sleep. Of all places, however, why did he choose the sofa?

"MC? Are you still awake?" He looked over at her upon seeing the light from her cell phone.

"Oh, hey Jumin." She shrugged as her eyes remained fixated on the screen, her fingers moving in a fixed, rhythmic pattern. "Yeah… I can't sleep…"

Jumin's own eyes squinted in both worry and focus as he dragged his pillow and blanket over to his bed. He took a seat in the empty spot next to her, peeking over at what has her attention.

"Hmm, I've never seen _this_ feature before." Jumin scratched his chin in confusion.

MC giggled, pausing her game as she finally took a lot at his face in this darkness. She pointed at her screen. "Jumin, don't you play games on your phone, too?"

"Games… I don't have time or interested for any those extra features." He laughed lightly at her comment. "Still, it makes me curious as to what gets so many people to flock towards things like these that are so popular. The only other one of those 'apps' that I downloaded on my phone was the one we made for C&R, and of course, the RFA messenger."

She took some time to show and explain to him what she was doing, even offering him to play a level for her so that he could try it for himself. MC started realizing more and more how almost-alienated he was from the life that she and other "normal" people lived. It seemed that she was more sympathetic rather than jealous, if anything. There were a lot of little gems in life that he was clearly missing out on.

They laughed together as she showed him more of the game and how far she had gotten. When she grew tired of it, however, she quit out of it and went back to the main screen. A moment of silence arose between them, to which MC proceeded to mindlessly swipe through her screen. She glanced at the time on the right-hand corner, locking her phone afterwards as she stared at the ceiling.

"What are you thinking about?" Jumin asked.

"Nothing…" She replied in a bit of surprise. With how dark it was, how did he even know that she hadn't actually closed her eyes yet?

"It can't be nothing." He retorted, sitting up as he made further attempts to examine her expression.

MC sighed, wondering if she was a lot easier to read than she thought. "There's too many things, to be honest. I'd be spending the rest of the night telling you what's on my mind… Besides, shouldn't you be going to sleep, Jumin? You're going to the office in the morning."

Jumin thought about how practically foreign it was to have someone who contained even the smallest ounce of worry to be showing some sort of concern for his well-being. "Touché, MC. But you have to promise me that you'll get some sleep too."

"Hmm… _Maybe_." She playfully smirked.

"Well, I guess you don't give me much of a choice. I'll have to keep an eye on you and sleep here for tonight then." He returned the tease, pulling a bit of the covers that she was under and inching in more towards the middle as he situated himself. "Who knows? Maybe it'll be good for the both of us."

"Uh…" MC froze, her eyes widening as she felt him motion himself closer. Her heart wanted to jump out of her chest. "U-Um… I don't think this is very appropriate, Jumin."

"But why not?" He shrugged as if this was casual. "Besides, this might be better for the both of us."

"I… I just… don't think…" She didn't want to finish the sentence, hoping it wouldn't drive him away or send the wrong message. Although, she was unsure of him being here when they weren't even " _a thing_."

Jumin smiled as the two of them now faced one another, although it was clear on her face that she was still uncertain of whether this was proper or not. His hand reached out to gently run his fingers through her hair. "Don't be ridiculous. You know well that I am not that kind of man. It's not like we're going to _do_ anything, are we not?"

MC admitted to him that she had never been in a relationship before, and that she wasn't sure how things worked — without also trying to hint it out to him that she was implying anything about being with him, in particular. She always thought that people should not sleep in the same bed unless they were married.

"Okay, MC…" He said after some time of explaining that the thoughts she had were different than what actually happens. "If you feel so strongly promise me that you'll go to sleep, and I'll move back to the couch afterwards if it will really make you feel more comfortable."

" _Promise_?" She pursed her lips, holding out a pinky close to her face.

Jumin chuckled amusingly at her gesture, having never really something like that before. He was quickly explained to about how the significance of the small action withheld a strong, rather profound agreement between both parties.

"I know that it sounds really silly." MC twiddled with her thumbs. "But I'll be honest, this has been something that I've been doing for a long time, and so far, it's worked pretty well for me."

"Alright…" The warmth in his smile was eminent. "Promise."

"Promise!" She lit up as brightly as he did, her pinky out again. He held his own out of the opposite hand, and they joined fingers shortly after. They shared a laugh after doing so, the smile on their faces lingering.

MC then outstretched her arms as she made another big yawn, her eyes blinking slowly as she felt herself grow even more tired a lot quicker than she expected to.

"Sleep." His voice lowered as he continued playing with her hair, watching her drift slowly into sleep from the comfort of his touch.

"O... kay…" She muttered softly, fighting sleep now.

And before he knew it, she was asleep. Her body gently rose up and down like the soft waves of the ocean, her soft breathing indicating that she slumbered peacefully. There was something about the way her vulnerability on her face that made him feel tranquil despite all of the stress he had in the world. There was something about her warmth — so sweet and welcoming — that made him want to stay close to her.

"Sorry, MC, but I'm hoping that this is going to be the only time that I'll ever have to break your promise." He whispered to her, smirking lightly as he continued to find solace in watching her peacefully rest. In tow, he followed shortly after and he found himself calm enough to fall asleep with her.


	4. Chapter 4: A Bolt Out of the Blue

_**Chapter Four:**_ A Bolt Out of the Blue

When the morning rays peeked its way in through the penthouse's giant glass windows, Jumin's eyes fluttered open as he welcomed another beautiful day. His arms stretched out, his back arching in tow. The young man took a quick glance at MC, who was still sound asleep. The smile on his face reflected his relief in seeing that she was resting so peacefully.

"Wish I could stay here a bit longer…" He sighed with a bit of disappointment as he kept his eyes on her, a finger reaching out slowly to brush against her cheek. It took everything in him not to make any further advancements, let alone say any more than he did. "But, I must get ready."

Jumin walked over to another room to change clothes and ready himself before eventually making his way over to the kitchen, slowly opening more blinds along the way. He poked his head and hands through cupboards and cabinets, finding things so that he could prepare breakfast. He did tell her that he was going to make her pancakes, and he felt excitement in merely the thought of doing so.

The brightness of the sun's welcoming light continually flooded through his spacious penthouse, and just as he was mixing ingredients into a bowl, Jumin turned as he heard the rustling of silk sheets and a soft yawn escaping from MC's lips. He stopped what he was doing at that very moment and he walked over to her side of the bed to greet her.

"MC… Your sleepy eyes look very cute…" His eyes softened, a hand over his fist as she looked up at him, half awake.

"Good morning…" She said to him quietly as she stretched her arms above her head, fixing her messy bangs as she quickly checked her phone for the time. She then let him know that she was going to freshen up and she walked to the bathroom to do so.

MC continued to scroll through the notifications on her lock screen as she noticed that there were some text messages from the gang as well as a few emails to get back to from party guests she had been working on inviting, to which she worked on as she got herself ready.

Jumin smirked slightly from the other room as he watched her name appear as 'online' in the RFA app, proceeding to do so as well, while going back to what he was doing.

 **[Jumin Han has entered the chatroom]**

 **[MC has entered the chatroom]**

 **Jumin Han:** It hasn't been scientifically proven that beautiful women sleep more.

 **Jumin Han:** But it's been said that women tend to sleep longer than men on average.

She didn't want to tell him that she had to reread what he said multiple times in her mind to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. After trying to make sense of reality, she attempted to finally think of a way to reply to such eloquent words.

 **MC:** Do you… think that I'm beautiful?

 **Jumin Han:** I'm sorry, was I too direct?

She gasped lightly, a hand shot to her mouth. She couldn't stop staring at her phone in disbelief. Was he talking to _her_ right now? Surely, he must be mistaken. She thanked herself quietly for making the decision to excuse herself to the bathroom at that moment.

 **Jumin Han:** Good morning.

 **Jumin Han:** I'm making pancakes for a beautiful lady.

 **Jumin Han:** Isn't it quite funny though,

 **Jumin Han:** That we're both logged in the messenger when we're at the same place?

MC had walked out to the kitchen at this time, immediately catching his attention once more. She caught herself breathtakingly meeting her eyes with his after the messenger showed him that she read what he sent. There was a glow that she found somewhere beneath the dark undertones in the soft shades of gray. The gleam on her smile reflected onto him and he couldn't help but let a small grin form on his somber expression. He happily continued what he was doing, as they continually held their gaze in silence.

 **[Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom]**

 **Jaehee Kang:** Mr. Han!

 **Jaehee Kang:** Finally, you're logged in.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I've waited for you.

However, MC watched as Jumin's face deflated significantly after a sudden interruption caught him off-guard. She understood anyhow — for she, herself, enjoyed hearing Jumin Han, of all people, talk so sweetly to her like that.

 **Jumin Han:** Good morning :3

 **Jaehee Kang:** This isn't the time to say good morning…

The brunette snickered lightly at his playfulness, finding both comfort yet also disbelief in this almost completely different side of him that she'd never seen before in the messenger. She then looked down for a moment to type a greeting to their fellow RFA member. _"Heya Jaehee."_

 **Jaehee Kang:** Hello MC

 **Jaehee Kang:** I apologize, but I must talk with Mr. Han

 **Jaehee Kang:**...Mr. Han.

 **Jumin Han:** Yes?

 **Jaehee Kang:** I did read that you wouldn't be coming to work because of Elizabeth…

 **Jaehee Kang:** But I sincerely hope that you will.

 **Jumin Han:** Is something wrong?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Nothing is "wrong"

 **Jaehee Kang:** But there _is_ a huge pile of documents that must be signed… but I'm sure that is not very important to you right now.

And he continually made the latter very clear to her and that he was quite obviously much more concerned about other manners instead of wanting to talk about the situations happening at work. The messages quickly flooded, to which Jumin half-listened as he started pouring batter into a heated frying pan. Jaehee continued to assert the imperative need of Jumin to go to the office aside from matters that involved work itself, with MC also taking these thoughts into consideration as well.

Rumors at C&R apparently began spreading like wildfire that claimed that Jumin had apparently been unable to make an appearance at work recently because he was "too busy planning for the wedding." This boiled his blood, in a way that only MC could see, as she was witnessing this physically.

" _Preparing for the wedding… That's not pleasant."_ MC watched as Jumin's expression grew more and more sour at the thought.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes!

 **Jaehee Kang:** The media is free to talk about whatever they want

 **Jaehee Kang:** But you should at least stop your own employees from gossiping.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Not only for MC, but Elizabeth as well

And his assistant knew full well that if she tried to tie Elizabeth the 3rd into the conversation as a means of motivation to get him to go to work, that it might be enough to convince him. MC could already sense what she was attempting to do, and she went along with it, as well.

 **Jumin Han:** Do you think so?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes!

 **Jaehee Kang:** She will be distraught!

 **Jaehee Kang:** Isn't that true, MC?

Before she could even say anything, Jumin turned to read her expression in hopes that her response in the chat corresponded with her true feelings.

" _Nothing good can come out from all these rumors going around."_ MC nodded at him after her reply sent.

" _I see…"_ Jumin said this aloud to her as he also typed the response out to the chatroom, feeling like he understood more when it was MC telling him these things. _"I can't let this affect Elizabeth the 3rd."_

 **Jaehee Kang:** I am not asking for much but please just make an appearance at the office ^^

 **Jumin Han:** But

 **Jaehee Kang:** But what?

 **Jumin Han:** What if someone kidnaps Elizabeth the 3rd while I am gone?

 **MC:** I'll take care of her! Just go to the office today, please Jumin?

 **Jaehee Kang:** That is such a good idea!

 **Jaehee Kang:** Don't you feel much safer if someone you trust is guarding her?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Especially if it's MC

 **Jumin Han:** Yes… I can trust MC…

 **Jaehee Kang:** That's it! Then leave her there with her and come to work!

 **MC:** I agree. It's not worth ignoring your work for this…

 **Jumin Han:** Wait, I'm thinking

 **Jaehee Kang:** Whatever you may be thinking

 **Jaehee Kang:** I hope you decide to come to the office

 **Jumin Han:** Alright

 **Jumin Han:** I'll contact you once I finish thinking.

 **Jumin Han:** Oh, actually

 **Jumin Han:** I finished the pancakes, MC

 **Jumin Han:** We should eat together before they get cold

 **Jumin Han:** Then goodbye

 **[Jumin Han has left the chatroom.]**

MC looked up expectantly as she heard the sound of plates and utensils clattering softly against the table. She was motioned by him to take her seat at the table, but she was stopped as the same sound of messages flooding in commenced once more. This prevented her from getting up as she made attempts to keep up with the load that dropped at that moment.

The brunette felt Jumin's eyes on her as she watched his assistant helplessly ramble about her stress and concerns once more in the chatroom. She silently gestured to him that she would be another minute, for a part of her heart ached for the perseverance and efforts Jaehee was giving despite the admitted lack of proper gratitude that she was being given. Just by looking at her, Jumin could immediately sense MC's rather caring nature.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I haven't prayed in a while but I should…

 **Jaehee Kang:** So that he comes to work.

 **Jaehee Kang:** God… I have to leave because of a meeting.

 **Jaehee Kang:** MC… Please convince Mr. Han, I beg of you.

 **MC:** I'll do my best. Go ahead, Jaehee…

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes! Thank you!

 **Jaehee Kang:** I will get going.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Anyways… Please help him make the right decision…

 **MC:** I will, don't worry!

 **[Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.]**

 **[MC has left the chatroom.]**

She sighed softly as she clicked her phone locked. The inviting smell of freshly made food made her feel eager as she was greeted to a table that was already set.

"I didn't know what kind of tea you liked, by the way, so I made you Earl Grey." Jumin placed a tea cup and an accompanying saucer down as he said this, pouring the hot brew out from the ceramic pot after doing so. "Is that fine with you?"

"It's perfect, Jumin." MC smiled as she twined her hands together and placed them on the table, taking her seat. "Thank you, so much. You really didn't have to do all of this."

"Oh, but I _wanted_ to." He reassured her, following suit as he scooted his own chair closer to the table.

MC's eyes lit up as she breathed in the smell of freshly made pancakes mixed with juicy strawberries and newly brewed tea. It had been a while since she had a decent meal after being in Rika's apartment, so the thought of breakfast made her feel a bit excited.

She asked him how he learned to cook, to which Jumin explained that he simply enjoyed knowing a little bit of everything here and there. MC genuinely looked at him with interest as he spoke, feeling like she could just listen to him speak all day. He stopped after some time, however, a hand gesturing a motion that told her to eat.

"Tell me what you think." Jumin said, as he curiously examined her expression carefully. He watched expectantly as she took her first bite, chewing rather slowly at first. His eyes widened in concern as she appeared rather straight-faced for that moment.

"These… are heavenly... Wow, I'm impressed!" She felt as if hearts were about to fly out of her eyes, eating more but remaining careful to savor the flavor. "And the strawberries! They taste so fresh! These are so good!"

"I'm very glad to hear that you like them." He smiled, incredibly pleased as he started to take a few bites of his own.

"What can you _not_ do, Jumin?" MC beamed widely, as she raised her teacup for a toast.

"That's a good question." He snickered, clinking his cup with hers as they exchanged smiles across the table.

They remained quiet afterwards as the two of them had their breakfast, catching each other's gaze occasionally. Otherwise, it was merely the sound of silverware softly meeting fine china while delicious food met their hungry stomachs.

Jumin tugged lightly at his tie as his focus remained fixated at her. He decided to break the silence after finishing up what left he had on his plate. "MC, I have something that I want to say to you. Do you have a moment?"

"Of course." She gushed, still reveling in awe at the sweet things he said to her earlier.

He set his utensils down for a moment, a hand lightly brushing against his hair as he took an extra moment before saying to her, "I… I think I'll have to go to work today."

MC shot a hand onto her chest as she heaved a sigh of relief, although she caught herself quickly in hopes that her reaction didn't give off the wrong impression. A million thoughts had raced in her mind wondering what he wanted to tell her, but was glad to hear that he was slowly becoming more open to her about his thoughts and feelings.

"I can't just sit here and let strange rumors get around in my office. Of course, I will tell the body guards everything, and I'll come back as soon as I can. If you take care of Elizabeth the 3rd, I'll feel safe while I'm gone knowing that she's with you… Will you be okay with that?" Jumin smiled at her.

"I'll take good care of her." MC nodded without hesitation, glad that she was finally able to do something for him for once. She secretly enjoyed the idea of being treated like a princess, but not entirely to a point where she couldn't even lift a finger without being one-upped with more things for him to offer her. "Don't worry about us so much and please, just go to work, and we'll both be here waiting for you."

"You have a beautiful heart." He exhaled lightly, as if a weight was just lifted from his shoulders, and for that, they both were glad. "Elizabeth the 3rd is so important to me, and I'm glad that you understand that when nobody else does. But that's how much I trust you, also… so I won't have to be anxious while taking care of work. I hope that you both stay safe until I come back."

She glanced over at the white, majestic fur ball, her light blue eyes intently focused on them both as she sleepily laid along the side of the large cage she was inside of. She knew that Jumin was overly concerned of her well-being as of late, considering the extra bit of protection he provided for her. Yet, something about it still didn't feel right to her.

"If everything goes well in the morning, why don't we go shopping in the afternoon? There's an outfit that I'd like to buy for you. A princess should have clothes fit for a princess. My father has taught me this ever since I was a little boy." His eyes practically lit up when he said this, unlocking the steel cage and allowing Elizabeth to walk around at will.

"Thank you for being so kind, Jumin." MC felt her face getting red again. "But please don't worry about me, and do what you have to do. I really don't need anything like that from you." _I just need you_. She added that thought to herself as she smiled up at him.

"A beautiful girl, with a beautiful soul… You never cease to amaze me, MC… And for that, it's even more of a reason why I should be absolutely sure that I'll find a way to make it up to you anyway." Jumin said with a cheeky grin. "If anything happens, though, you know that you can call me, right? You must let me know if anyone tries to do anything to you. Of course, nothing like that will happen, I'm sure."

MC laughed lightly as she shook her head in disbelief at how well she was being treated. "Jumin, please stop worrying so much. You need to get ready for work."

"Yes but, I have an idea, actually… I know that you already met but I'd like to further introduce you to my Chief of Security." He nodded.

Opening the front door, he went out and spoke softly to the man who continually stood guard at his place, as well as another small handful of people that seemed to be associated with Jumin as well. "…Yes, it's me. Please come in. I'd like you to meet somebody."

After coming back in, Jumin kept the door slightly open as he went back to speaking with MC. "They'll have to know your face to give you complete protection, so I think this is the perfect opportunity for you both to be better acquainted."

"For the meantime, Jumin, can you tell me how I should take care of Elizabeth?" MC ran a hand through the feline's soft, white fur as she returned her kindness by gently rubbing herself against her legs.

"Well, I want her to stay inside the cage, so really, there won't be much for you to do. I'll give her food before I go, so if I don't return until the afternoon, you can just give her more. Here, let me show you what I do for her." He nodded, reaching a hand out to her as she greeted her owner.

Jumin filled two pink crystal bowls and placed them on the ground for her to eat from. He softly petted her on her head as she went for the food and water. "Lucky you. You'll be spending the morning with MC. She's a nice person, so I hope that you get to know her better."

"Meow, meow~!" Elizabeth happily cooed.

"She looked so tired being inside that cage, Jumin… I don't think she wants to go back in there." MC looked at her so sadly. "When are you going to let her roam around freely like this again?"

"I don't intend to keep her in there forever, of course. Just until I feel reassured of her safety." Jumin said. "Anyways, please take care of my darling while I'm gone."

"Oh, the door's still open." The brunette noted, instinctively walking over to it to close it after the Chief of Security made his way inside.

"Actually, you can leave it like that. This will be quick." He told her, to which she walked over to where they are. He also explained that once Elizabeth was finished with eating that she would be put back in the cage.

Jumin further spoke to the uniformed male, imperatively speaking of MC's safety and to remember what she looked like so that if she were to be in any form of danger that they would know what to do, to which he listened carefully and intently through all of it. MC could sense that he was very loyal to Jumin, beyond how much he was probably being paid and how well he was treated.

"Ah, yes. We met when she first came in last night. It's nice to see you again, MC. If anything happens, you can call for me anytime." He reached a hand out for her to shake, to which she returned politely.

MC quietly listened in as he and Jumin exchanged words once more. It appeared that a lot of what was being reiterated was rather straight-forward, but there were no interjections and the orders were heard.

"Er… Mr. Han, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but!" The Chief of Security said this after some time, his brows suddenly furrowed in concern.

"What is it?" Jumin's face was quick to follow suit.

"Unless I'm crazy, I'm pretty sure that something white moved very quickly just now." He quickly turned his head over to the door, which appeared to be more open than it was when he first entered his place.

Jumin feared for the worst, not wanting to believe what he just said. "…What do you mean?"

"It can't be…" MC's eyes widened. "Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth the 3rd!" He gasped as he bolted towards the entrance of his penthouse. "She was right there just now… Where did she go!?"

"I believe she headed towards that way." He pointed at the direction towards the elevator. "I couldn't see properly because I was looking at MC, but…"

"I'll lock all the building gates right now. She couldn't have gone far." Jumin's face was flushed out of all happiness that he had built up previously. "God…"

"Mr. Han…?" The Chief of Security could immediately sense his concern.

"Tell all the security guards! Right now, hurry!" Jumin ordered.

"Yes, sir." He complied. "Are you still going to be leaving, as planned?"

"Not anymore. Please lead me to the security room where I can see all of the CCTV screens of the hallway and lobby. Finding my cat is top priority."

"Yes, sir!"

"Jumin, I'll help you find her!" MC said, already putting her shoes on as she said this.

"No." He touched a hand on her shoulder to stop what she was doing, his eyes sharp as he made it clear that that was an order and not a suggestion. "You have to stay here, MC."

"But I want to help you…" The brunette said sadly, clearly wanting to be of assistance to him.

Jumin waited until the Chief of Security silently, and quickly, made his way out to alert the rest of the guards of the current situation. He stood close to her now, looking down to meet her eyes. "This might sound strange, but if even _you_ won't stay here, then I will feel very troubled. Please don't leave this place. Alright? _**Don't**_.Leave _._ "

MC's mouth dropped as she heard further emphasis on the latter. The level of concern he must have had in him skyrocketed to its maximum extent. And although she didn't exactly agree with his decision, she fully read the worry and anguish in his eyes as he scrambled to get his thoughts together.

"Ugh… God… Keep calm, keep calm…" Jumin's fingers ran through his jet-black hair, looking as if though he was ready to pull the strands out all at once from the stress. He heaved a deep sigh as he looked over at the brunette, readying himself to leave at once. "I'll come back with Elizabeth the 3rd. Just wait for me here!"

"I know you will!" She watched as he ran out the door, closing it behind him as she heard his footsteps make a mad dash down the hall outside.


	5. Chapter 5: So Close

_**Chapter Five:**_ So Close

MC anxiously felt herself clutching tightly on to her phone. Jumin's penthouse was short two occupants and she felt an emptiness creep into her heart and mind. More than anything, however, a wave of concern came to her as she thought about what Jumin was doing and where he was at that very moment.

She sat along the front porch, her eyes sparkling at the sunlight as it followed the rushing vehicles on the busy city street and the tall skyscrapers whose magnificent structures held many worlds of their own.

In the midst of her taking in this beautiful weather, she was checking emails from prospective guests for the RFA party that she didn't quite get to from last night. While she was doing this, her phone buzzed, and she noticed that there was somebody online.

 **[ZEN has entered the chatroom]**

 **[MC has entered the chatroom]**

 **ZEN:** What a lovely morning!

 **ZEN:** Hey, MC! Haha.

 **ZEN:** It's a good day, isn't it?

MC sighed at Zen and his narcissism. She tolerated his behavior most of the time, but in a dire situation like this, she clearly wasn't beating around the bush.

" _That's not important! Elizabeth is missing!"_ She sighed, interrupting the revelry he continued to have with himself about his looks.

 **ZEN:** What?

 **ZEN:** That furball?

 **[Jumin Han has entered the chatroom]**

MC felt her heart rate accelerate as he quickly entered the room and proceeded to tell them: _"If you see Elizabeth the 3rd anywhere near you, please contact me asap."_

 **ZEN:** I heard from MC. What happened?

 **Jumin Han:** Elizabeth escaped the penthouse

 **ZEN:** How?!

 **Jumin Han:** I was introducing MC to the Chief of Security and she just ran out

 **Jumin Han:** The timing was bad. Damn…!

 **ZEN:** Wait…

 **ZEN:** She escaped on her own?!

 **Jumin Han:** She must have been frustrated inside the cage,

 **Jumin Han:** Or hateful towards me…

 **Jumin Han:** How can I know?

 **Jumin Han:** She's a cat.

" _It was simply a mistake, Jumin."_ MC reassured him, feeling his pain from behind the screen. _"I'm sure it's not because she hates you."_

 **ZEN:** What MC says is true

 **ZEN:** This might sound funny, but even a cat can see how sincere you are.

 **Jumin Han:** This isn't the time for this… I have to go find her

 **ZEN:** Yes, go!

 **Jumin Han:** Anyway, tell me if any one of you find her

 **Jumin Han:** MC… You're at the penthouse, right?

 **Jumin Han:** Don't worry too much and just stay… please.

" _Okay, Jumin! You'll find her. I know you will."_ MC felt the words come so easily when it came to Jumin. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but something about him just made it so simple to come to his aid and trust in him.

 **Jumin Han:** Yes, I hope you're right

 **Jumin Han:** I'm sorry to keep saying this, but please don't leave the penthouse.

 **Jumin Han:** Don't. _**Ever**_.

 _And there it was again_. She felt a deep gasp escape from her lips, unsure of what was becoming of Jumin. At that point, MC didn't know if she should feel special, or just flat-out scared. Maybe _both_?

 **ZEN:** What the hell is happening… God...

 **Jumin Han:** I don't care who it is

 **Jumin Han:** If anyone sees Elizabeth the 3rd, please tell me

 **Jumin Han:** Right away

 **Jumin Han:** Bye

 **[Jumin Han has left the chatroom]**

MC deflated as he took an abrupt leave. She wished more than anything that she could read his mind right now, or at the very least, be by his side while they looked for Elizabeth together.

 **ZEN:** I doubt I'll find her

 **ZEN:** But I just can't believe what's going on;;

 **MC:** I'm shocked too… I'm really worried about Jumin.

But it was much more than him trying to find Elizabeth. In her heart, she felt there was something more. There was a tight knot somewhere in Jumin's mind and he was trying to unravel it on his own. Unfortunately, this brought up rather destructive and chaotic results.

In between her thoughts trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces, Zen brought up that he had a strange dream the day before where Elizabeth was at a mysterious house by the mountains. And although he was sure that there was no way she could have gotten that far, he did admit that a lot of what he perceives in his mind are usually a sign of foresight. Still, neither of them were sure of what could come out of such a bizarre vision.

" _He's making a huge fuss but he'll find her soon, I'm sure."_ Zen then mentioned in the chat. And for once in those ten or so minutes that he and MC spoke, the bickering against Jumin was laid to rest when he admitted that his competence in finding her would probably help him find her sooner than later — and he was right about that. He talked about how he had so many bodyguards, closed circuit television in every corner of the building, and there was absolutely no doubt that Jumin had the means and capabilities to exhaust the search for Elizabeth. MC agreed, and ultimately, thanked him for putting his ego away for a moment to help make sense out of a bad situation.

Zen then discussed that he had a very important meeting with a director from Hollywood, and therefore couldn't exactly take time out of his day to postpone just to actively search for the cat — as much as he wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to do so. MC discovered quickly he was a prestigious actor that they could invite to the party, and he made a promise that he would do his best to have him get in touch with her.

" _Good luck with the meeting."_ She told him sincerely, but couldn't help but still feel anxious about what was happening. _"Oh… I hope Jumin finds Elizabeth soon."_

 **ZEN:** Good luck! Tell me if he finds her

 **ZEN:** Then I'll get going.

 **[ZEN has left the chatroom]**

 **[MC has left the chatroom]**

After going back in and closing the patio door, she paced around the empty house, trying to think of what to do in a place that wasn't exactly hers. Even at Rika's apartment, she didn't quite feel comfortable, and so she found herself exploring outside of her place more often than not these days.

And so, she decided that she would at least make time to look around the building before he came back. Surely, he didn't mean that she couldn't leave the penthouse itself if she stayed within its perimeter, right?

MC swept her bangs to the side, placing her shoes on her feet once more as she opened the door and prepared to make her leave.

"Excuse me, miss." The nearest guard to the door halted her at once.

 _Crap..._ She sighed, for she didn't even get herself completely out of the door before being interrupted.

He walked over to her, bowing his head once in affirmation. "Mr. Han said that you're not allowed to leave."

"Not even to go around and look at what's inside the building?" Her voice almost sounded like a whine, for she was itching to go somewhere to help pass the time.

"My apologies, ma'am. The premises is under complete surveillance while the rest of the team looks for Elizabeth, and he wishes not to have us simultaneously monitor your movements while such a large search is happening. Mr. Han's orders." The security guard said, completely straight-faced.

"Duly noted." MC politely complied, sighing. "Thank you anyway…"

And with that, she closed the door behind her again as she stepped back inside. Unsure of what to do, she took a seat on his sofa and found herself aimlessly playing games on her phone.

Some time had passed, although it didn't go quickly enough for MC. She found herself frequently looking up at the clock to see how long it had been, but she had run out of things to do. She was staring ahead when she suddenly felt a buzzing noise from her hand, her ringtone following immediately after.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Jumin's name and picture appear on her phone screen. She nearly dropped it trying to answer so quickly.

"Hello…?" She quietly said.

"Hello, MC." His voice just as soft, but also, dejected. "It's me. I hope everything's okay? Please, just… remember to stay where you are… no matter what happens. If you need anything, just tell the Chief of Security. I've told him to send you everything you need. But also, even though I am busy, you can still ask me also. I'll do anything for you."

"…Could you just, promise me you'll stay there?" Jumin added, repeating this same request to her.

MC stared ahead at the world outside of his penthouse windows, a bit sadly but mostly with understanding. "Of course, don't worry."

"I feel safe now…" He heaved a deep sigh of relief. "I mean, you won't be able to leave even if you _want_ to, but I feel better knowing that you've chosen to stay there."

"W-What did you just say?" She froze, attempting to digest what he told her. For as much as she was willing to be there for him, she also couldn't help but feel that maybe she was being _trapped_ , in a sense? She just hoped it was his instability enabling him to say and do such odd things.

"…I should end things there." He said after the long pause. "I hope you weren't too flustered about what happened earlier this morning. It might be a good idea to take care of yourself in a quiet place."

 _But I've_ been _in a quiet place for almost a week now._ She wanted to tell him. She wanted so badly to ask him for a bit more freedom. At the same time, though, there was also so much more that she wanted to say, but she decided to just let him do the talking for the meantime.

"Oh, right, and if you hear something going on outside, don't mind it. I've told the guards not to let anyone in." He continued. "If someone still insists on going inside, it might be those women."

"I'm more worried about _you_." She admitted sheepishly. After all, it's what she'd been doing all day.

"You don't have to worry about me… I am quite flustered, myself, but I can still be rational about everything." Jumin told her. "I can get through this because of you. Thanks for staying at my home."

"No worries at all. You don't need to thank me." The brunette practically felt like she wasn't deserving of any form of gratitude when she was just sitting around waiting for him.

"Oh, speaking of which, there's that big cage inside the house, so if you're bored, why don't you try going inside?" The tone of his voice suddenly growing dark.

"Wait… wh—?" MC bit her lip, glancing at the steel bars nervously.

"Shhh, that was a joke." He chuckled loudly. "I just wanted to make you laugh."

"Yeah… hahaha… a joke… right." She nervously laughed, rubbing a hand at the back of her head. _God, what a strange sense of humor._ She thought to herself. Although the sound of his laugh did take a bit of her worrying away, so she went with it.

"I'll call you later." Jumin sounded rather excited at the thought of doing so. "Rest up."

"I'll be here, Jumin. Let me know if anything happens." MC smiled, waiting for him to hang up the call.

After he did so, she slumped back on his couch, going back to scrolling through her phone once again. Thankfully, her boredom was quickly ceased by a notification in the RFA app of Jaehee being online. She then decided that it might be appropriate to open up a chatroom with her.

As per usual, Jaehee stressed about her troubles, particularly of her excessive workload. She expressed the concern she genuinely had of Elizabeth going missing, however, she admitted that most of the staff was placed in a search party for her and she was falling behind even more on her work. MC told Jaehee that she wished that she was at least partaking in the active search for Elizabeth, and she feared for her safety but also that of Jumin's.

" _My original plan was to send you to Mr. Han and hope that Mr. Han would come to work, but is it just me or is everything just getting worse…?"_ The secretary told her sadly.

MC apologized about not being much of help to the situation, even going as far as asking if there was anything that she could to.

" _No need, MC. Thank you. I do not wish to burden my boss's guest with work of my own that I should be doing."_ Jaehee said, though extending her deepest appreciation for her. _"Anyway, I'm thankful enough that you took the time and trouble to go there."_

" _But, MC…"_ She continued. _"If you stay at Mr. Han's place any longer, you might get involved in more trouble."_

" _I think I should stay until Jumin feels better…"_ She immediately replied with this.

Jaehee expressed that she understood full well that MC was worried, but that she was even more concerned about staying there too long. More than that, however, she was also running in circles trying to figure out how to make sense of anything, and everything. _"How did this happen? Elizabeth gets all the love in the world and she ran away… I really cannot believe this… I sincerely do want to know why she ran away from home."_

" _She must have just been curious about the outside world."_ She told her, explaining to her what happened that morning. _"I didn't really see her escape. All of a sudden, she was just gone."_

MC told her that she felt guilty for expressing her concerns for Jumin while his secretary had more to worry about and had much more on her plate. Jaehee reassured her that none of this was her doing. She even went on, saying that it was actually rather nice to have another girl in the RFA, for a change. And she didn't blame her, even gushing to her how great it would be later down the road to bond more with each other once everything finally settles.

With Jaehee eventually coming to her senses, however, she reluctantly took her leave in order to get even more work finished. _"Don't worry too much. I'll try to come back with good news."_ She said to her. _"Then I'll get going."_

MC exited the chat and clicked her phone locked as she laid back, trying to figure out what to do next. It was so early in the day, and yet, it felt like he had been gone for longer than the few hours that passed between the time he left. She went into her belongings to retrieve a half-read novel that she hadn't gotten through a lot of yet, letting herself get lost in the story in hopes that this would make the day seem quicker.

After a good moment of silence and more time had gone by, the sound of keys echoed through the hall and Jumin made his entrance into his penthouse. MC had become so engrossed in the book she brought with her that she hardly even noticed the door had opened.

"MC…?" He surveyed his surroundings, trying to look for his guest.

"Jumin…" She closed her book shut and walked over to him, to which he immediately took her into his arms and in a tight embrace without even thinking. She felt his warmth, but also his distress, and they stayed that way for a moment before he pulled away to glance at her.

He sighed, biting his lip. "I'm sorry for coming home so late… But I'm glad that you're safe."

"What about Elizabeth?" MC asked, hoping for any kind of news from all the time he had spent out.

"…I couldn't find her. I can't believe this…" Jumin said despondently. "I can't believe that I still haven't found her. She's definitely left the building, it seems. Cats can get around places that people can't see, so she must have found a way. She even avoided the thermal cameras... Do you think she ran that fast? I honestly have never seen her move so quickly."

He paused for a moment as MC motioned him to take a seat on the couch, for he was probably all over the place and needed a moment to rest.

"Jumin…" She couldn't even find the words to say.

"She always used to stretch leisurely at home. Over there… on the center of that very sofa across from us… She'd meow every morning looking at my bed. I… can't believe that she's not here… I wish this were a dream." He buried his face in his hands.

"Please… Don't be so sad. She'll be found and we'll get her back home soon." MC felt herself unhesitatingly reach a hand out to gently rub him on his back.

"Yes, we will. Alive or not… We'll find her." Jumin said this painfully. "But more than that…. I can't accept the fact that she tried to run away from me. I feel like all the love I've given her for years have gone to waste. How do I express how I'm feeling right now…?"

MC watched his expression carefully, trying to read between the lines. She wanted to reassure him that she didn't mind listening and that she desired more than anything to figure out how to help him through his pain. But for now, she knew that all he needed was an open ear.

"I feel as if I've been betrayed… This bitter sadness that eats away a part of my heart. Why am I like this? It's very unlike me…" He felt like an abomination, an alien of his own senses.

"You haven't really had a chance to express your feelings this way." The brunette nodded in acknowledgement. "It's not that you never had emotions. You're just feeling so much now that it's probably overwhelming you."

"MC, I know that I was going to bring you back home soon, but can't you stay a bit longer with me?" He breathed, the need in his eyes deeper than ever as he suddenly asked her this.

She nodded without even thinking twice. She knew at that moment she would do absolutely anything for him. "I'll be here until you feel better, Jumin. You can trust me."

"I already know that I can trust you. But thank you, MC… It hasn't been long since we met, and I don't want to burden you…" He inhaled sharply, looking like he was about ready to hit himself at any moment now. "Damn… It's hard to control my emotions. I'm really sorry that I can't be peaceful. I hate when I'm like this… It's the first time I feel like I'm really hitting rock bottom."

A sudden, loud knock at his front door interrupted MC before she could even say anything to him.

"Oh, it must be the body guard." He stood up quickly, the brunette following close behind. "Maybe they have some news?"

Opening the door only slightly, he noticed that it was the Chief of Security. "Mr. Han, Miss Sarah has come for you."

"The worst woman at the worst timing…" His hand over his forehead, feeling like a headache was already coming on.

"She appears to know something about Elizabeth the 3rd." He stated.

Jumin's eyes squinted in skepticism. "What does she know?"

"Er… She won't say." The Chief of Security shrugged. "She simply told me that she must tell you face to face."

"I don't want to let that woman in and I'm sure that what she has to say is probably a lie anyway." Jumin could feel his blood boiling, but then turning around to his guest. "But, well, what do _you_ think, MC?"

"Well, nothing bad will come out of hearing some information. And from there, you can judge whether what she says is truthful or not." She was clearly feeling just about as uneasy as he was.

"Thank you for believing in me. And for thinking a lot like me, may I add?" A small smirk creeped its way onto the side of his face for a brief moment. "I mean, it's highly likely that she thinks of this situation as an opportunity… If I think that the information she provides is useless, then that will give me a reason to never see her face again."

"God… I wish that woman would just say 'I have Elizabeth, just give me the money' like the coward she is…" His fists clenched suddenly at the thought.

"It's okay, Jumin… Just calm down. We'll see what she has to say." She reassured him, a hand on his shoulder before retreating quickly.

"Let's hope for the best, I suppose." He said this as he motioned for him to allow her to come near the entrance.

The door opened slightly as he walked outside to inform her that they were considering on letting her in. He felt an instant sense of displeasure as he made eye-contact with the redhead, before closing it a bit more between them so that he wouldn't see anymore of her.

"Jumin! Oh! Oh my! You look so tired. But no need to worry! I'm here! So everything will be solved!" A muffled, yet shrieking sound came from behind the creaked door. "Oh please, just let me in!"

" _First_." Jumin said adamantly. "Let me hear what you have to say."

"You're just going to keep me standing here outside your door? That's mean! Even _with_ the depressing situation! All the security guards are watching! I want to talk to you. Alone!" They could feel her make a hard eye roll from behind the door. "And! If someone has taken the trouble to visit you, shouldn't you at least say _hello_? I'm feeling quite upset at you, my future husband!"

"Yes, _hello_ to you too." Jumin sighed, making eye contact with MC as they both seemed to be done with her already, though eventually allowing her to enter. "I highly admire your tenacity."

"Tenacity…?" She said it slowly, as if though the word itself was difficult for her to digest. "Oh, whatever! _Jumin_!"

MC immediately retreated to the other side of the room as a pair of flailing arms flung over to him. Jumin, however, immediately swatted her away and even backed up quite a distance to send the message.

"I'm not a _stranger_ , you know! I just want to enter my fiancé's house! What's the fuss all about anyway?" Sarah crossed her arms as she went further inside, then looking at the moving figure at the corner of her eye. "What? But who is _that_ woman?"

MC copied her motion as they made eye-contact, to which the brunette simply gave her a daunting look. Jumin noticed this, sighing louder than he usually would in hopes it would prove yet another point. "Show me the photo."

"Is that a hidden lover?" She ignored him.

"It's nothing like that. Just show us the photo of Elizabeth." MC didn't hesitate nor change her expression as she walked back over to where they both stood.

"Oh my! Look at that girl lying through her teeth!" Sarah extended a hand to point at her face. "What the _hell_ are you doing in my fiancé's house in the middle of the day?"

"Who is _whose_ fiancé, exactly?" Jumin asked, having continually cringed at the sound of her calling him that.

"Jumin, no need to be shy. I know everything. I'm sure she's just a hook-up." She glared over at MC, whose mouth gaped at her attempt at such a horrible insult. She frowned back at her as she continued to ramble again. "I'm not a woman who makes fusses about these things. You work in the big league. I'm sure this is nothing, it's fine! Marriage is a much more scared bond than some meaningless desire. I'm old enough to know everything."

MC clenched her fists as she tried to keep everything in her to not swing a punch at this annoying woman, with Jumin returning the same look without even thinking to mirror each other's expressions. Sarah felt this, and defensively raised her hands up above her head. "Alright, _alright_! Don't look at me like that! You'll feel better if I show you this photo. Now, here! This is her, right?"

Jumin snatched the photo directly from her hands as his eyes squinted to examine it. MC, having also looked over out of curiosity, immediately shook her head in disbelief.

"It's Elizabeth!" The redhead screeched.

"Unfortunately it is not." He handed it back to her, his expression as stone-cold as ever.

"What? Look closer! All cats kind of look alike! White fur and blue eyes! This _is_ her!" Sarah said in a very demanding voice. "What do you _mean_ it's not her?"

"Don't mistake me for a fool, Sarah. I _know_ what my cat looks like and this _isn't_ her." Jumin turned away, not even wanting to see her face.

"You have no idea how hard it was for me to find a similar looking cat in such a short amount of time, Jumin! Are you really going to be this rude to me?" She whined.

"I'm afraid I cannot see you off… I will call someone to escort you." He already had his phone in his hand as he said this.

"You should _at least_ offer your fiancée a cup of tea, mister!"

"That is _not_ going to happen, actually. And I hope we do not see each other ever again. I will tell father about what happened today."

"E-Ever again?" Sarah acted insulted. "What!? Are you breaking up with me?"

Jumin had a look that clearly read 'are you really being serious right now?' and even added an eye roll simply for the effect. " _Break up_? How strange of you to say such a thing when we have never even _been_ together. If you really thought for a second that exchanging a few words was 'being together,' then you must be quite delusional. In addition, that 'photo' of that cat can be easily found online. You must be very confident of my father's support to shamelessly walk into my house with false information and believe that _that_ is considered help."

"I… I must have been tricked!" It was very clear that she was trying to think on the spot for being called out on her lie.

"Will you _please_ just leave? I do not wish to further waste my time, as I need to find my cat." Jumin had a hint of rage forming and it was quite obvious in his tone of voice, yet somehow, he was able to keep his composure at the same time. "As I said to you, I will tell father that you clearly brought a fake photo of my cat in attempts to win over my affection and that if he has any real sense left in him at all, he will stop talking about marriage."

"Wait, Jumin! Don't try to call off the marriage on your own! Is it because of that _woman_?" She pointed again. "I'm going to tell Mr. Han first! That _you_ are with another woman!"

Jumin was slightly taken aback, to which MC had to look over at him and see if he was still there. _Why did he hesitate?_ She thought.

"What… Wait a second, are you two in _love_ or something? That assistant didn't mention anything like that!" Sarah had a look that appeared almost as if she were offended, then looking over at MC. "Hey! If you think that you're going to get expensive stuff by being with him, then make sure I don't catch you! I don't know where you came from and what you're trying to do, but rich families have a reputation that they need to keep up! So don't even _think_ about doing anything funny to my Jumin!"

" _Your_ Jumin?" MC broke the silence, even taking a step closer to her. "Besides, Sarah, I'm just a friend of Jumin's. Watch what you say before you blurt out information that you don't even know is true."

" _Friend_? A friend that's _alone_ with him at _his house_ at this _hour?_ " She cackled before pointing at the unmade bed and the belongings she had in a bag on the couch. MC sighed as her attempt to keep the drama and attention away from them both being together in the same house evidently failed. "And it even looks like you spent the night here! And… what are those pancakes over there!? It's so _obvious_!"

"Oh, I forgot to clean the plates this morning. Pardon my manners, MC. I should have called a maid." Jumin stood in front of her, fixing the cuffs on his sleeves as he continued to motion Sarah closer to the door. At that instant, he knew that he wanted to defend her.

"Are you pretending that you can't see me now? Jumin! How could you do this to me!? Mr. Han loves you so much… How could you be so rude to me when he picked _me_ to marry you! I can't just leave like this!" She insistently placed a hand on his chest to move him back.

"You're _really_ hurting my ears… Seriously, why did my father bring in this woman?" He scowled as he turned to MC again.

" _I'm_ hurting your ears? Then _listen to me_!" She stomped on the floor in a similar fashion as that of a five-year-old throwing a temper tantrum.

"I wanted to end this quickly since MC is watching." He didn't even want to look at her as he spoke, a hand on his chin. "But this reminds me of an episode in a soap opera."

"Wh-what are you saying?" She frowned.

Jumin snickered. "This has just become unnecessarily troublesome, but I'll do it for my father. Your fake tears… your timid threats… It's all so cliché that I can't help but laugh."

"I mean it! I'm really going to tell Mr. Han! No use in stopping me now!" Sarah said with a huff.

"I can guarantee you that your threats are as pointless as you are to me. I've gone through this multiple times in my life. You should just use your energy on something else in life… But no matter, for giving you advice will only prove to be a further waste of my time, so let's get down to the point…"

"What are you talking about!? Anyways, you're mad at me right now, right!? Just be honest!"

"Not _yet_." He emphasized on that point, then beginning to pace as MC and Sarah both watched him speak. "I do not get angry very often. But you've annoyed me enough to make me talk, and I can't say anything about that. I know very well from experience that people like you will do whatever it takes to get what you want. You have the right skills and even the spontaneity it takes to do it… But people like you easily fall into nihilism once you've acquired that wealth you've so coveted. I… feel pity for you, in a way. A life with pointlessness. But I suppose that's the life you want?"

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Wha—"

"I had all the wealth in the world ever since I was born." He unhesitatingly cut her off, then shrugging. "Do you, perhaps, want some? A couple million, is that what you'd really like?"

"Jumin, don't…" MC reached a hand out to him, to which he shushed her silently — for in his eyes it appeared that he knew what he was doing.

Sarah was taken aback, even pointing at herself to make sure that he was still referring to her.

"Tell me." He raised a furrowed brow back at her. "If you ask me for it, I might even give it to you. You need money after all, is that not right? After all, it means nothing to me."

"I think you need to sit down for a second, Jumin. This isn't like you. Are you okay?" MC attempted to meet his eyes.

"I'm fine, MC." He smirked slightly at her.

"You-you're being too harsh! Can't you just write me a check right _now_?" Sarah appeared to be digging at her purse.

"I do not like talking about impossible things." Jumin crossed his arms, his expression unchanged from the straight face he maintained through the entirety of her visit.

"So you mean it?" She continually switched her glance between him and MC multiple times as she made attempts to read the situation correctly. "Th-then… how about three million? Then I'll say no to the marriage. With the condition that I'll put it nicely to Mr. Han. This will be better for us, I suppose. It's a win-win thing."

"…Got you." He chuckled lightly, looking down as he said so.

"Wait… w-why are you smiling?" Sarah asked, confused.

"I just repeated some lines from a soap opera I watched recently. It's funny that you're almost replaying that scene back for me so perfectly, too." His smile was so big that it was borderline concerning. "Apparently, it's a very popular television show these days."

" _What_!? You were messing with me!?" She stepped back in shock.

"Precisely." Jumin smiled as he glanced over at MC, who bore the same expression although her was coupled also with a sigh of relief.

"God…! Who the _hell_ do you think you are!?"

"Unfortunately, I will be charged with embezzlement if I use company assets for a measly personal check. I'm not keen on being behind iron bars for somebody who is worth nothing to me."

"Are you out of your _mind_?!"

"Yes, in fact, I am. Thank you for asking. You've managed to come here with a fake photo of a cat that you found online _and_ you insulted my dear MC. My joke is only fair, don't you think?"

MC could hardly believe that she was hearing her name and "my dear" being used in the same sentence.

"I never insulted her! And the photo! I… I was tricked, too! Don't you see!?" Sarah scoffed. "And isn't it rude that you let another woman in your house when you're _engaged_?! And at that, such an _average_ looking girl!"

"MC is not an average girl. What you see isn't everything, but clearly you won't understand even if I explain it to you." Jumin made it clear that he wanted what he said to be heard by both parties. "It seems we have no more left to talk about. Why don't I show you the door?"

"No! I can't leave like this! This isn't fair! _No_!" The redhead fumed.

"I don't know what in the situation is _not_ fair, Sarah. But if you do not wish to leave, I will use you to do what I want." Jumin chuckled.

"What are you talking about?" She frowned, a hand having shot to her chest.

"There was something that I've wanted to do… but I just couldn't come up with a proper excuse…" He stared at the ceiling as he said this, twining his fingers together. "But this seemed to happen often in those soap operas I've been telling you about."

"What's with these stupid soap operas? God, you're so _childish_!"

"MC, I'm sorry. It seems you'll have to excuse me. I had no other way to let her out…" He turned over to her before looking away again briefly. "Yes, let's… put it that."

The brunette's eyes widened, unsure of what his next move was. "Jumin, w-what—"

"And, well, I was going to do it soon anyway…" Jumin grinned widely, staring right into her eyes before facing himself directly in front of her.

Then, as quick as the moment passed, he closed the distance between them with a kiss.

She gasped as she felt his lips meet hers. She froze in place, not exactly knowing what to do. Her eyes widened as she felt him get closer to her. Surely, she must have been dreaming.

" _AHHHH_! What are you…!?" Sarah screamed as if she was in the middle of a horror movie.

MC had to gently push him away from her to stop him for a moment. She met his eyes and wanted so desperately to figure out what was happening, because she could hardly believe any of this was even real. "J-Jumin!? What…?"

"Shhh…" Jumin chuckled, his hands finding her waist to bring her more towards him. "You're blushing… Just close your eyes and focus on your senses."

Every time MC wanted to open her mouth to speak, he continually shushed her by kissing her again, and again. She wasn't quite sure how to kiss back — or if she should — but it appeared that she didn't exactly have to with him constantly coming back to her.

"Ewww! I'm going to tell Ms. Choi!" Sarah shielded her eyes with her hands.

"Yes, having an audience for our first kiss takes off the tension." Jumin kissed her on her cheeks, now. "Your lips… are so soft and warm… And I think I smell a bit of pancake? Ah, you're so cute, MC."

"How…! _Ugh_! I've never been so insulted!" Sarah clutched her purse tightly and harshly turned the knob to his front door. "You won't hear the end of me, Jumin Han!"

"God… She's finally leaving." He muttered softly as they pulled apart.

The door slammed shut as the sound of loud, running footsteps could be heard. In the middle of a sudden wave of relief, there was some silence for that very moment.

"MC…?" Jumin looked down at her.

"…Y-Yes?" She muttered, nervously.

He paused for a moment, and after having trouble finding the words to say, he shook his head. "Oh, the hell with it."

And just as before, Jumin took her completely by surprise and pulled her into another kiss. But this time, he felt himself deepening it without thinking twice. Her eyes closed as she focused on the feeling of him all over her.

MC then felt herself being pinned against the wall, her back contouring along it as she felt the pressure of his body pressing up onto her. At first, he held her by the wrists to keep her down, although it was obvious he wasn't even sure where he wanted to put his hands anymore, because he couldn't stop moving them. From her face, to her shoulders, her sides, and her back. He wanted so badly to feel all of her.

Jumin couldn't seem to help himself in that moment as he continually came back for more than just another kiss — but for more of her, of everything she was. MC quietly complied with this, though at the same time, hoping that she wouldn't reveal much of her inexperience in the process.

He finally settled for her waist, bringing her closer into a tight squeeze towards him and a bit away from the wall. He brought one hand over and rested it on her cheek, angling himself in a way that would pull her even deeper into his kiss.

Her breathing shallowed, and she shyly found herself reaching both of her arms behind his neck until her fingers found his hair. Jumin returned this by squeezing his hands at her sides, his hot breath on her mouth as his tongue found its way in.

MC gasped, trying to follow his movements as best she could. It seemed he wasn't having any problems, for he was returning with more force, and more desire than before.

She then let out a noise that sounded, surprised? She wasn't quite sure. But she felt him grin onto her lips as they held the kiss once more. Jumin pulled away for a moment as he reached for her neck, hovering his lips over it in such an agonizingly slow way, leaving kisses along her skin. She couldn't help but let out a soft moan, though very obviously holding back the sound she made due to her own insecurity.

MC bit her lip to further quiet herself. But her eyes squeezed shut as she then felt his breath grazing her earlobe, feeling a soft tug as she exhaled sharply. She squirmed helplessly in place, whimpering softly at his touch. She couldn't take it anymore. Her legs were going to give out any second, and she couldn't even tell where she was at that point.

As she began to lose balance, his tight grip pulled her back onto him. And then, he stopped altogether, and he carefully examined her after pulling away.

"No, I can't…" Jumin said to himself with a bit of a breathy laugh as he simply pulled her back into his arms, laying her on his chest for a moment. "Not tonight…"

She felt as if the room was spinning, wanting to ask what he meant by his words, but she literally couldn't even feel the lower half of her body. A hand held her head, as if she had just gotten off a roller coaster. She panted loudly, wanting so badly to hide away in her own feeling of humiliation.

"MC, breathe…" He laughed lightly as his hands rested on her shoulders, in as much disbelief at what just happened as she was.

"God… Wow…" She softly said, still out of breath. She looked down as she attempted to bring herself back to Earth, as she tried to make sense of what was reality. "Did that just…?"

"Yes." Jumin completed her sentence for her. "It did…"

MC glanced away from him, unsure of how he felt about that heated moment. "S-Sorry if I…"

As if reading her mind once more, he looked over at her with reassurance. "MC, don't be embarrassed. In fact, I… almost couldn't even stop myself. God…"

"Jumin, can we… really do this, though?" MC could feel a million different thoughts race in her mind at that very moment.

"To be honest, I've wanted to kiss you from the first moment I saw you." He told her as he played with her hair. "I'm sorry if that was so sudden. I know we haven't known each other long and I wanted you to be comfortable here, but perhaps, I've merely bothered you."

"No…" She looked up at him, still trying to hide her blush but feeling her heart twist slightly at his fear. "You haven't been. Please don't worry… It's just…"

"I don't regret what I did." Jumin felt himself effortlessly smiling back at her. "I know exactly how I feel about you."

"Is this… appropriate, though… when Elizabeth is missing?" MC realized, a hand over her arm as she rubbed at it nervously. For as much as she enjoyed Jumin being so caring and also close to her, there was still an important situation that needed to be taken care of.

"This…" His nose brushed hers as he felt him stay close to her. "…has nothing to do with that. It's my emotions. And Elizabeth isn't here, but _you_ are." He poked a finger at the tip of her nose.

She giggled lightly as she felt him kiss her some more on her cheek. She couldn't help but feel so happy with him, and yet there was so much she was still so unsure about when it came to unstable, perplexing Jumin Han.

"Oh… And, you know what." His fingers lightly brushed loose strands from her face behind her ear, the two still holding their embrace. "I just realized something after our kiss… That you are, indeed, different from Elizabeth the 3rd. That special person who can truly understand me… who I can touch, and kiss, and understand what I'm saying… I've known this for a while now, that I needed someone like you, and not a cat. Seeing you here, right in front of my eyes… I feel like I've finally gotten what I've wanted."

He sighed happily, kissing her on the forehead. "I don't want to be a fool who loses what he wants, and _needs_. Elizabeth the 3rd… even if I find her again, she's… just a cat. But _you_ , MC… You're different. You soak in all of my emotions. You give me light in my darkest hour. You're everything I've ever wanted in a woman. You're… mine. And that just makes me so happy."

"Jumin…" MC could feel her heart wanting jump out of her chest, a combination of happiness but also concern for his ever-changing emotions. "I understand what you're feeling, and… I feel it, too… I really, really do… But, you were just worried about Elizabeth a minute ago, and I'm worried about you and I'm worried about her, too."

"I've never been so sure of my feelings. Now that Elizabeth isn't here, it's actually rather ironic that I'm so happy. And now I've realized that, without her here, I know what I truly want. I want _you_. And I want you to want me too. I mean it." Jumin breathed, feeling like an open book for once in his life.

"I do too, Jumin. More than anything in the world." MC admitted, not being able to quite meet his eyes as she said this to him, but still meeting eyes with him to show her attentiveness. "It's just… I think any relationship needs time… Let's take a bit to think about it. But first, we need to find Elizabeth before we do so."

"I can understand if you need time. Just… don't leave my side right now… Please… I'm begging you with everything I have… I'll try my best to be the man who can do anything for you… That's… That's what everyone expected from me ever since I was little."

She felt a tug at her heart strings, realizing that there was more to Jumin than his stone-cold, straight-faced nature. In her mind, she opened an entirely new world to him that probably nobody else has ever seen, and wanting more than ever to explore all of it.

"I'm so sorry, Jumin." She referred to the latter statement.

"MC… I'll save that talk for another time, but, even if it takes you time, I want to have everything you are… I will wait to the end of the Earth for you, and only you, to be mine. So just, stay here with me."

The brunette looked up expectantly at him, his smoldering eyes holding both need and desire to its deepest extent. She smiled at him, her eyes closing for a moment. "Yes… of course I will, Jumin…"


End file.
